Amusement apparatus



March 3, 1942. T, U SISSON '2,274,8u`

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS Inventor March 3, 1942. T. U. SISSON AMUSEMENT APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed DSO. 14, 1939 In vemfor TZ," 521515' 022 f A orneys March 3, 1942. T, U. slssQN 2,274,811

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS Filed Dec. 14, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 PREVIDUS c0950 NEXT U Tl ON Q E5 ANSWER QuESTloN Inventor Hnrneus March 3, 1942. T. u. slssoN AMUSEMENT APPARATUS Filed Deo, 14, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 jg. if j! Z? Jiffy 27 A torneys March 3, 1942. T, U s|s$0N 2,274,811

` AMUSEMENT APPARATUS Filed Dec. 14, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 By www 15m A orneys Patented Mar. 3, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,274,811 AMUSEMENT APPARATUS Thomas Upton Sisson, Gulfport, Miss.

Application December 14, 1939, Serial No. 309,294

3 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in the art of amusement apparatus and more particularly to Van apparatus of the stocked with questions and in which selector means is involved whereby the selector can choose the answer decided upon.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to the reader of the following specification.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 represents a top plan view of the apparatus.

` Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Figure l.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary enlarged detailed sectional view taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentaryvdetailed sectional view taken substantially on the line 5-5of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary detailed sectional view taken substantially on the line 6-5 of Figure 1.

Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary detailed sectional view taken substantially on the line 'I-'l of Figure 1.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary substantially horizontal view through the control lever showing the lock therefor. y

Figure 9 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view through the pay olf-stack and dividers.

Figure 10 is a fragmentary detailed sectional view taken substantially on the line I0|0 of Figure 2.

Figure 11 is a fragmentary plan view disclosing the web.

Figure 12 is a top plan view of the web `riding contact ngers,

Figure 13 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line I3--I3 of Figure 2.

Figure 14 is a sectional view through the spring contact arrangement and web.

Figure 15 is a diagrammatic view disclosing the electrical connection between the electrical devices involved. I

Referring to the drawings wherein like numerals designate like parts, it can be seen that.

the apparatus consists of the back wall 5,iront wall S, side walls 1, bottom Wall 8 and inclined top wall 9. As clearly shown in Figure 2 a bank of switches I0 is secured to the underside of the lower portion of the top 9 and through the top 9 project the stems of the push buttons I I which operate the switches I0.

In a box I2 under the top 9 are the lamps I3, one for each of the buttons I I. At the upper left hand corner of the top 9 is the coin chute mouth I4 registering with an opening I5 through the top 9, which, in turn, registers with the upper end of the coin chute I6 in which a pair of contacts I'I are located and adapted to be bridged by a coin as it drops through the chute I6.

lIhe top 9 further has an elongated window consisting of the frame I8 and window pane or panes I9. The top 9 is formed with an elongated slot 20 just above the frame I8 and through this the center strip 2I of the web generally referred to by numeral 22 can travel, the strip 2| being guided by the apron 23 which extends from the slot 20 in a forwardly direction and curve downwardly as at 24. Cutters are secured by suitable means to the apron 23 to the end that the web 22 can be divided along the lines of perforations 2li- 26, thus permitting the perforated strips 21-21- to be divided from the intermediate strip 2I, to the end that the intermediate strip 2| can pass outwardly through the slot 20 while the side or marginal strips v21 pass downwardly into the container 28.

As shown in Figure 2, the apron has the portion 24 disposed inclinedly down to the shaft 29 which has a pair of sprocket wheels 30 thereon for meshed action with the perforations 26. At one end of this shaft 29 is the hand lever 3| which has a ratchet 32 and pawl 33 connected with the said shaft 29 so that upon movement of the hand lever 3| in the direction of the arrow as shown in Figure 2, the web 22 will be fed upwardly. f

Post members 34 resting upon the bottom 8 serve to support the shaft 29.and also the roll 35 which bears against the web 22 in opposed relation to the wheels 30. The posts 34 also serve to support the shaft 36 on which is the roll of the web 22 and a spring or springs 31 serve to hold the roll against slackness.

As can be seen in Figure 2, guide ngers 38 are provided on the lamp box I2 to -guide the web on to the guide apron 23.

As shown in Figure 2, numeral 39 represents the hopper for coins or checks from which extends the stack 4I) having slots 4I at equal spaced intervals from the lower end thereof upwardly.

The magnets 42, 43, 44 and 45 control gates 46 and these are controlled by the time mechanism generally referred to by numeral 41 (see `'Figure 15). The slidable bottom 48 for the stack 40 is controlled by the electro-magnet 49.

The handle 3| has the knob 50 at its upper end and this handle operates through the slot 5| in the top 9. An electro-magnet 52 having the beveled armature member 53 normally holds the hand lever 3| against operation. However, when this magnet 52 -is energized by the bridging of the contact |1 when a coin is inserted into the chute I6 (see Figure 6) the handle 3| is released and the same can be forced forwardly to engage the switch 54 and close the same. A coiled tension spring 55 is interposed between the handle 3| and the relay box 56 to normally return the hand lever 3| to the position shown in Figure 2, behind the latch armature 53.

As can be seen in Figure 15, each of the push button switches |0 has a pair of relays generally referred to by numerals 56 and 51 associated therewith. The relay 56 consists of the electromagnet 58 energizable to operate the armature 59 breaking contact 6|. When the electro-magnet 58 is deenergized, the armature 59 engages the contact 6|. One side of the coll 58 is connected by the jumper 62 to the negative line 63 and also to the amature 59. This negative line 63 is connected to one side of the push button switch I0 and also to the contact 64 of the relay 51. The other side of the switch I0 is connected by the jumper. 65 to the switch arm 66 which is non-electrically connected to the switch arm 61, controllable by the coil 68 of the relay 51 to engage the contact 69 when the coil 68 is energized or the contact when the coil l68 is deenergized. As shown in Figure 16, the contact 10 is connected to the contact 80, while the contact `69 is connected to the contact 6|. The coil 68 is connected in the circuit 1| with the corresponding lamp |3 and this circuit 1| has a parallel connection 12 with the positive side 13 of the current supply line 14 through contacts 91 and 98 of relay 96.

The current supply line from the master relay generally referred to by numeral 16 is connected to the lower switch arm 61 of Uthe relay 51 by the jumper 11.

It; will now be observed that the web 22 is predeterminedly perforated. In other words, the spring contact fingers 80 riding the web 22 must find the proper perforations 8| and the keys corresponding to these perforations pressed before the master relay 16 will be vdeenergized, to the end that its armature 83 will engage the contact 84 and permit the current to be supplied from the line 14 along the conductor 85 to the bottom gate 48 of the pay oli stack 40, this gate magnet k 49 being in the circuit 86 with the pay 01T switch 81, time controlled mechanism cut-off switch 88, motor 89 and time mechanism 41, it being observed that the time mechanism 41 is connected in parallel with the circuit 86. The time mechanism 41 includes the time segment 90, segment 9|, segment 92, and segment 93, the first segment 90 extends to the solenoid 42, the segment 9| to the solenoid 43, the segment 92 to the solenoid 44, and the segment 93 to the solenoid 45. The motor 89 drives this group of segments and it is preferable that sixty seconds be allowed for the player within which to answer the question. If he'answers the question while the contactor 94 is on the first segment 90 and pushes the pay of.F switch 81, the pay off will be the highest and that is, all of the coins or checks below the uppermost divider 46, the divider controlled by the solenoid 42 will drop.

When the contactor 94 has made the entire revolution, the cam 95 will operate the, switch 88 to break the circuit so that the timing mechanism will be disrupted.v The momentum of the motor-89, however, will be suiilcient to carry the cam 95 barely under the switch 88 so that the mechanism will be set for the next operation.

`When the hand lever 3| is pushed forwardly after the same has been released by the depositing of a coin, the hand lever engages the switch 54 so as to close the same and permit the current to pass into the relay 96 to the end that the armature 91 is attracted against the contact 98 and the connection 99 is established by the relay.

vManifestly, the correct buttons will have to be pushed in order for the master relay 16 to be deenergized Vand current supplied to the pay 0E magnet'49.

Assume lthat the question in the question column of the web 22 is What is the abbreviation for Mexico?. The abbreviation being Mex., the player would have to push the corresponding lettered buttons. As the correct button is pushed, the corresponding relay coil 68 will be energized, pulling its armature 61 downwardly to engage the contact 69, and as the magnet 58 is holding its armature 69 away from the contact 6|, the contact 6| forms a dead-end for the supply line 15 from the master relay 16. as anyone of the spring contacts is engaging the contact plate 19 through a perforation in the web 22 and Vthe proper key has not, been pushed, the relay 16 will remain closed and there can be no pay offby reason of the spaced relation of the armature 83 to the contact 84.

As shown in Figure 5, a knife edge |80 is provided at the lower edge of the slot 20 so that the intermediate strip 2| can be torn off when desired. v, I While the foregoing specification sets forth the invention in specific terms, it is to be understood that numerous changes in the shape, size and materials may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed hereinafter.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. An amusement apparatus comprising a housing having a slot in one wall thereof, a web having questions thereon, a roll upon which -the web is payable, manual means for feeding the web, said web having a border, said border hav-A =k ing selector openings therein, questions answering selector switches, ,a current supply plate against which one side of the border rides, contact fingers against which the other side of the border rides and through the openings in which registering contact fingers can protrude to engage the current supply plate, magnetic latch means for the manual means, a source of current, a check controlled switch for connecting the source of current with the magnetic latch means and with the current supply plate, reward establishing means for correct answering of the questions by the selector switch, said fingers and selector switches being connected in multiple with the reward establishing means, and a window in the housing in advance of the slot and through whichthe questions on the web are visible.

2. An amusement apparatus comprising a. housing having a ,slot in one wall thereof, a web having questions thereon, a roll upon which the So long' web is payable, manual means for feeding the web, said web having a border, said border being defined from the web by a line of perforations, said border having selector openings therein, question answering selector switches, a current supply plate against which one side of the border rides, contact ngers against which the other side of the border rides and through the openings in which registering contact fingers can protrude to engage the current supply plate, magnetic latch means for the manual means, a source of current, a check controlled switch for connecting the source of current with the magnetic latch and with the supply plate, and a window in the housing in advance of the slot and through which questions on the web are visible.

3. An amusement apparatus comprising a housing having a slot in one wall thereof, a web, a roll upon which the web is payable, manual means for feeding the web, said web having a border, said border being defined from the web by a unevof perforations, said border having selector openings therein, selector switches, a current supply plate against which one side of` the border rides. contact iingers against which the other side of the border rides and through the openings in which registering contact fingers can protrude to engage the current supply plate, magnetic latch means for the manual means, a source of current, a check controlled switch for connecting the source of current with the magnetic latch and with the supply plate, reward establishing means, said vngers and selector switches being connected in multiple with the,v reward establishing means, and a window in the housing in advance of the slot and through which indicia on the web is visible, said slot being sufciently long to barely take the width of the web, said border being adapted to rip from the web as` the web is dispensed through the slot, to collect in the housing.

THOMAS UPToN sIssoN. 

